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Cleaning
HVAC duct cleaning by robot
HVAC ducts are used to convey air within buildings and can become unclean and unsanitary over time , requiring the services of a specialist team or company to rectify . Ductwork can be complex in size , shape and direction , and the most optimal way to clean ducts is the use of a high-tech robot .
About the author
Craig is Jetty- Robot Ambassador for the UK , UAE and Malaysia . He set up his own international consultancy business in 2016 , focusing most recently on HVAC / R market . He has over 20 years ’ experience in the field of coatings in the O & G and water industries , and has worked with / for 3M , Copon-E Wood , Jotun , Kansai Paint , and Heresite . He is a certified NACE Coating Inspector ( Level 1 ) and an ASHRAE Associate Member .
By Craig J R Thomas , JettyRobot Ambassador , HVAC / R Coating Specialist & Senior Managing Consultant - The Pipe-Sol Consultancy Ltd
A duct is a conduit ( pipe , passage or tube ) by which air is delivered and / or removed in heating , ventilation , and air conditioning ( HVAC ) systems . A system of ducts in a residential or institutional building or an industrial or commercial unit is called ductwork . Today ’ s ductwork can find its origins in China and Greece in the 7 th Century , when a system of chimneys and flues were used to convey heated air into buildings whilst keeping them free of smoke . Ducts can be found everywhere from super yachts to sky scrapers , hotels to hospitals , oil refineries to oil rigs . Onshore , offshore . From privately owned buildings to government controlled infrastructure . Ducts can be circular- , rectangular- or square-shaped ranging from approximately 2.5 inches ( 63.5 mm ) in diameter for circular ducts to over 48 inches ( 1,220 mm ). Duct diameter / sizes will obviously vary with shape , and what local / regional regulatory and insurance standards will permit .
Clean ducts , improved air quality , better performance Over time , ductwork can become dirty , blocked or contaminated to the point that may result in poor air quality , compromised heat exchange or fume extraction , and inefficient HVAC unit operation . Dust , grease and other particulates can also be flammable . What is the solution ? All ducts should be regularly inspected and cleaned , with many now being disinfected more frequently and aggressively since the Coronavirus Pandemic of 2020 / 21 . There is very little information in the public domain regarding the history of duct cleaning – its origins and the methods traditionally used . What is known is that the creation of HVAC systems lead to the implementation and birth of an industry responsible for duct cleaning , and this industry has simply grown and grown . The relationship of these two integral parts of ultimately one industry is symbiotic . In a report prepared for the US Environmental Protection Agency ( EPA ) published in 2005 , it was estimated that the air duct cleaning in the United States generates revenues of USD 4.0 billion annually and that the cost of commercial and institutional building remediation to improve Indoor Air Quality ( primarily for HVAC systems ) amounted to USD 2.9 billion per year . At this time , the split between residential and commercial air duct cleaning was 1:3 1 . If it is assumed that the US market represents ca . 40 % of the global market , taking into account inflation and using the same split , this means that the global revenues from air duct cleaning in 2022 are in the region of USD 16.1 billion per annum with USD 12.1 billion being generated from the commercial market . When plans for modern residential / commercial buildings and industrial facilities are drawn up , ongoing maintenance of HVAC systems is always a design and operational consideration . With this in mind , ducts are normally installed in sections with access panels . Ductwork can be manually cleaned , sometimes even requiring an expertly trained technician to enter the ventilation duct under strictly controlled supervision . Mechanical tools may be employed to assist the technician carry out duct cleaning and maintenance . Specialist companies tend to be employed to clean and maintain the ductwork in hospitals and hotels , airports and prisons , pharmaceutical concerns , sewerage treatment works and power stations as well as Oil & Gas and marine installations . The two most common ways to clean ducts are use of a pressurised “ air hose / air whip ” or “ rotary brush ” and a high-powered vacuum cleaner . These techniques require the ductwork to be constructed in sealed sections with access panels at either end . During the cleaning process , the ducts are normally placed under negative pressure so that dust and dirt is prevented from escaping .
Robotic duct cleaning technology A newer , more innovative technique is the use of a robot to carry out the critical HVAC maintenance task of duct cleaning . A robot can typically be purchased directly from the technology equipment supplier or rented so that the HVAC maintenance service , building or facilities management
The duct-cleaning JettyRobot family .
18 Heat Exchanger World November 2022 www . heat-exchanger-world . com